Yuri on Arena
by meteorr
Summary: AU. His idol, Viktor Nikiforov, the top gladiator for the past five years, was all Yuri wanted to be. When Yuri decided to exhibit himself doing the signature moves of his idol, Viktor happened to walk by, and... decided to become his swordsmanship mentor? May or may not continue (and will go differently compared to the main story.) Rating may change, title subject to change.
1. Prologue

Prologue: Yuri on Arena

 **A/N: Naming it like this partially because I have no idea what else to name this random AU idea... this is just a tryout ahaha. I have the urge to make this into a angst story if I continued-/shot**

 **Disclaimer: Only the storyline belongs to me, everything else belongs to their respective owners.**

* * *

 _Ever since the day where he first appeared, I had been mesmerized by him._

 _The long silver hair glistening in the light, highlighted by the long, argent flashes formed by the smooth movements of his sword..._

 _The blazing sun, which should have made both swordsmen look dehydrated and exhausted, seemed to affect everyone in the stadium but the young and agile teenager. His perspiration sparkled in the sun, the wide grin broadening on his face with every step and slash, his pink cheeks seemingly filled with ecstasy..._

 _"TH... THIS IS UNEXPECTED! It's the first time a... a rookie, has won this famous competition, in his debut year! His name will surely be remembered for years to come!"_

 _As a child, I remember desperately hanging over the railings, my body half out, and my new glasses whose frames were too big for my face almost falling out, just from trying to get a better look of his captivating figure._

 _"This year's! Gladiator Showdown! Belongs to...!"_

 _The young teenager raised his hand with a gusto, grinning freshly in the direction of the young me, still stranded in mid-air on the railings._

 _"Viktor Nikiforov...!" I breathed out, stationary with glimmering eyes, among the wild cheers and chants of the crowd._

* * *

 **A/N: I may or may not continue this depending on how you guys react XD** **Please do leave reviews to let me improve myself!** **Thanks for reading this short stuff ahaha**


	2. Chapter 1

**Yuri on Arena (someone please recommend a better title lol) Chapter 1**

 **A/N: I'm actually feeling motivated so I'm continuing this lol. (Thanks YOI MMVs on Youtube :D) For the first episode related stuff, I'm going to stick to the original story so it may feel boring XD;; LET'S CONTINUE MAKING HISTORY VIKTOR-/shot**

 **Disclaimer: Only the story plot belongs to me. Anything else belongs to their respective owners.**

* * *

"I've trained so hard all this time, and yet..."

Katsuki Yuuri, 23 years old. He had just lost his one-round match, making it a 5-time losing streak. Stumbling and fumbling about, his tattered body full of fresh scratches and bruises he attempted to cover up with hastily wound bandages, he paved around the dark back alleys outside of the gladiator arena. He just wanted to pace himself home, where he could be shielded from the rest of the world. He didn't want to lose any more confidence he had in himself, since, the residents of the town would definitely look at him with those eyes again...

 _"He's still around?"_

 _"He's trying to show off but he's too damn weak... does he not know of modesty?"_

 _"He should just get killed off by the others already_ _"_

 _"Lady Luck sure is kind to give someone like him so many chances-"_

"Stop. Stop..." Yuri pressed his hands to his face in an attempt to cover his cloudy brown eyes. As expected, even the back alleys couldn't save him from the loud comments on the main street, which pierced through the walls and which in turn, pierced into his heart.

It was a sad sight for a gladiator; squatting in between white linen that were flapping along the clotheslines strung above his head, his face being hidden and open to view from the repeated flowing movement of the cloths. He sniffled, hiccuped; his fingers covering his eyes under his glasses' frames, trying to wipe away the tears before they fell.

"I'm... I'm so sorry Mum... I messed up again today..." He whimpered, feeling like he was the most pathetic and weak person in the city at this moment.

He had chosen this route; the route of the gladiators. He could have lived a normal life. Or maybe, even the stunning, tough but rewarding route of a knight, serving the senate and the person with the highest of powers, the emperor. But everyday, without fail, he would always remind himself of the reason he chose this treacherous path. He would do his hellish training regiment which would be spartan on any person, or maybe even to normal gladiators, to continue pushing the extent of his abilities as a gladiator. It was all to catch up to him, the person that had captured his heart with his stunning swordsmanship since he was still an innocent child, Viktor Nikiforov.

But surely, at this point of time, he had no idea nor hope as to whether he could even reach close to his level.

...he had to get back home without the red eyes and puffy cheeks, he can't show this pathetic side to his family that has supported him throughout anything he had decided. Slapping his cheeks, trying to regain his composure, he tried thinking of things that would change this sullen mood of his. Anything. Just anything. Now, anything except-

 _Viktor Nikiforov._

No. Anything that makes him happy besides him.

Anything. Anything else before he started feeling miserable at his lacking abilities again. What did he like to do again? In his free time, at home, at home...

Oh, _right. Katsudon..._ The one thing from his country of origin that his mother had specially learnt to cook for him. It indeed is the next best item to make him feel spirited again, since he knew that to be able to eat such a godsend in Rome is surely equal to nothing less than that of a miracle. And as he thought of the juicy meat, the crusty outer layer surrounding the scrumptious fats; indeed, what could be better than a bowl of katsudon-

 _Viktor Nikiforov._

The heavenly imagery of the pork bowl in Yuuri's mind shattered. The feeling of joy he was trying to gather dispersed at just one thought of his idol. At the reminder of how far away he was from Viktor once again, and how Yuuri could never reach him. And at the reminder that his power was still, still so lacking.

He tasted the saltwater trailing down his slightly puffy cheeks once again. Trembling, he raised his hand to his face shakily. _Just when I thought I could be rid of these feelings._

He couldn't stop his sorrow from coming out anymore. This time, he really felt his heart cracking, and all his emotions rushing out like a rapid current. He cried out, and the oval-shaped tears splashed out with every blink.

He was too immersed in his own depression that he didn't notice, a slim, stout but intimidating figure strutting along the sidelines. The intensity of the shadowy figure's burning presence lighted up the supposedly dark back alleys. Noticing the crouching gladiator, he clicked his tongue with an annoyed innotation, and took forceful steps forward to the sad figure in his view.

He poised in front of Yuuri, overshadowing the huddled ball.

One leg was hoisted up.

And he pivoted on his other leg, turning with the power in his hip.

 **BAM!**

Yuuri's body startled from the sudden loud sound right beside his ear.

In between tears and bewilderment, he tilted his head to what he registered as the closest object stiffly.

A foot planted just beside his face, up against the wall, the yellow-brown dust from the aftermath still slowly scattering away.

Then he moved his vision to the owner of the (beautiful and thin) leg awkwardly.

He was met with crystal-coloured electricity, flowing through the clear and sharp cyan-emerald irises of what he now registered as a young teenager. His pale-yellow hair floated even without the presence of wind, as if defying physics. His thin and attractive stature stood firm and steady, despite the supposedly unsteady position he was in. The short stuff's eyes narrowed, his eyelashes emphasising the fierce glint in his eyes.

Yuuri swallowed at the teenager's beauty. _He... isn't he-_

"Hey."

Yuuri's body tensed up.

"Next year, I'll finally be qualified to be in the official matches."

The punk-like individual headed closer to Yuuri with a finger stabbing towards the bespectacled's stomach.

"We don't need two Yuris in the same bracket. Incompetents like you should just die already." He added, his eyebrows creasing harder into his forehead, his face headed closer again towards Yuuri's face.

"MO-RON!" he snarled loudly into Yuuri's spectacles, leaving slight traces of his dribble on his lenses.

Yuri Plisetsky then clicked his heels and strode out of the narrow walkway into the bright areas of the main street, disappearing behind the rock walls.

 _Yuri Plisetsky... the winner of the non-official Gladiator Showdown, the youngest ever in the event._

At this point of time, the crying had stopped due to the short stuff's interference.

He placed one hand on the ground, slowly regaining his balance.

 _Even if I were to die, there'd be tons of talented young fighters who'd be able to rise in their rankings._ He somehow had thought that without much hesitation or emotion, for he had already cried out his feelings in the past couple of minutes. His eyes darkened, as he turned on his internal autopilot mode and continued walking without paying much notice to his surroundings.

* * *

 _Eh... eh?_

He swiftly turned his head in all directions.

He was confused.

 _WHY AM I BACK AT THE STADIUM?!_

Sure, he had activated his auto pilot mode but...

He facepalmed.

All of a sudden, huge screams and cheers blasted out behind him. His heart leapt.

 _It's definitely...!_

He quickly ran in to the spectator's area.

"He has once again made history!" The emcee screamed out, prompting even more hysterical cheers from the spectators. Yuuri, who was at the front now, once again barely behind the safety railings, looked on yet again with eyes of admiration.

"Once again, he has crushed the showdown! It will be the fifth consecutive victory for the living legend in the world of gladiators, VIKTOR NIKIFOROV!"

At the hyped commentary, the sparkling silver hair of said person swished around, a content smile filling his lips once again. Receiving his golden grail, he lifted it up with pride, and slowly brought it down to his lips, kissing the top of the grail. His eyes which had a beautiful ocean blue to cyan gradient around his irises, seemed to be filled to the brim with happiness and satisfaction once again, but somehow the intensity of his emotions...

 _It can't match up to his first win._ Yuuri noticed silently, placing a thoughtful gaze on the person he had idolized for so long.

Then Viktor's eyes met Yuuri's. The black-haired fighter gasped.

He raised up his other hand, grinning towards Yuuri while waving.

Somehow, even though Yuuri had seen him as his idol for so long, just... just this one time, he couldn't bear to meet Viktor's eyes, and clumsily turned his gaze away while awkwardly running out of the stadium, once again.

* * *

 _I'm the sixth this year, huh..._

Even though he had run away not wanting to see the results, in the end, since he was back anyway, he decided to look at the rankings.

First, of course, Viktor Nikiforov.

Second, Christophe Giacometti, third went to Otabek Altin, fourth to Cao Bin, fifth to Michele Crispino...

His eyes dimmed, and his spirit flickered with his low confidence. He had been too happy that he was finally good enough to stand on the same stage as Viktor. To think that his bundle of nerves for it being his first time at the annual Gladiator Showdown had exploded and flowed into him right before his match, resulting in him binge eating, and also screwing up more than he had expected. Not only that, but his family dog had just died, and due to the intensive before-match training, he couldn't be by it's side at all. He just couldn't fight like his usual self today. It was supposed to be his big day, too...

His coach tried to comfort him and attempted to block Yuuri from external comments, but Yuuri didn't want to burden his kind coach with his misgivings any longer. It was all his fault, anyway.

He simply stared blankly at the huge paper of hand painted results pinned up to the hanging wooden block, flapping silently in the wind.

"Katsuki-kun!"

The fighter turned around at the familiar, bright and slightly more professional sounding voice. But he was greeted by the frowning face and the quick stomping figure of the co-announcer, Hisashi Morooka.

"Morooka-san..."

"DON'T GIVE UP!" He hollered into Yuuri's face, his brows still creased together, mouth wide open as he verbalized his words. "It's still too early for you to give up!"

Yuuri's face remained expressionless, the white glow off his frames hiding any obvious emotions shown through his eyes.

"It's not like I've made a decision. Please don't make assumptions." He spoke, his blank face heavily contrasted to Morooka's strained gritting face.

"Then what are you going to do after this season?!"

"I'll be discussing that with trainer Celestino."

"Katsuki-kun!" Morooka-san sighed with desperation. "I'm asking you how YOU feel about this..."

But by this time, Yuuri's attention towards what Morooka was saying had already drifted off somewhere else. In the crowd. Into the arms of someone.

 _I don't want to think right now._

His faraway eyes glanced down to the ball of brown fur wriggling in the arms that he had noticed.

 _I'm sorry, Vicchan._ Even if he had exhausted his emotions, he could still feel his heart sinking. _Sorry I can't go home._

As he started sinking in melancholy again, his eyes teared up-

"Yuri."

He jumped, and turned around at the familiar voice that rang out.

"About your sword techniques, it'd work better your sword did defend and while attacking-;"

"I won, so who cares?" A deadpan voice had the words droned out. The pale blonde hair flowed in bunches as Yuri Plisetsky tilted his head backwards in boredom. "Quit nagging, Viktor."

Yuuri glanced. _Oh, it's the other Yuri. He came back here too, huh..._ he thought, and his eyes shifted to the lean figure beside the teen. _Alongside Viktor..._

"OI, YURI!" The trainer of the two of them, a seemingly short-tempered comparatively old man, started rambling in anger to the gutsy teen. "YOU CAN'T TALK THAT WAY FOREVER!" And as the rants continued, Yuri just looked away with uninterested dead fish eyes.

Yuuri could only continue gazing from afar. _If I do have a chance, someday..._ His eyes narrowed it's range of focus onto Viktor's face, oblivious to the fact that he was staring obviously. _Too, I'd like to..._

And the ocean-blue-cyan eyes abruptly turned to meet his gaze.

Yuuri gasped and felt his face flush for a bit at the surprise meeting of eyes.

Contrary to Yuuri's expectations, Viktor turned into his direction with a hearty smile. "A commemoration signature?"

The Yuuri of one year ago might have jumped in joy and leaped in happiness, but now...

The 5-time winner's smile got brighter, as he turned the rest of his body to face Yuuri. "Sure." His voice sailed smoothly, as he prepared to accept the one who had locked eyes with him.

But the hazel brown eyes only widened in an emotion that contradicted most fans whom he had extended the offer to.

Without another word, the 6th place fighter quickly turned away, his body slouched forward as he heaved his feet to move away, ignoring any side comments from anyone else.

 _This is humiliating._ Yuuri's back seemed to express his inner emotional state. _I was an idiot for thinking I could finally meet my idol on the same battleground..._

* * *

(One year later)

Panting, Yuuri ran to a stop before a wooden door, resting his hands on his laps while bending down, trying to regain his breath. He then wiped the perspiration off his face with the slightly musty, wet browned cloth that hung around his neck, as he rapped on the door and opened it almost immediately after. "I'm back."

"Welcome back, Yuuri!" his mother beamed at him warmly, holding a bowl of warm noodles. "How was your routine today?"

Ever since the embarrassment he suffered one year ago, Yuuri has tried going to other smaller tournaments, only to continue losing in them, as if his skills had been affected after losing in the first Gladiator Showdown of his career. As a result, for half a year after the last competition he had participated in, he had totally lost his motivation to continue fighting.

He had almost given up hope on standing on that stage again.

But he still could not really bring himself to just laze around and lose all his skills; he still wanted to keep them. In hope that... well, but now all he was doing was basic stamina training. He didn't polish up his sword work, nor did he do any mind stretching. He had also ended things with his trainer for, or how he phrased it, personal reasons.

He could pretty much do nothing but keep fit for now.

Yuuri smiled sheepishly at his mother. "The usual."

His family owned a _balneae,_ a public bath for the citizens to share. His family's was the biggest public bath in the city, thus it was comparatively more popular than other _balneaes_. His sister, Mari, had a sustainable job as a knight, despite some men in the senate being _quite_ subjective to the idea that a female, furthermore one from the considerably lower-class families, was doing a job of such a high standing. Also, he had taken up a bit of a knight's fighting skills thanks to her, and it could be seen as a good point among his set of skills.

After splashing himself in water for a bit, he went to relax in the living room with the other customers, reading some prints, or playing _Latrunculi_ (Roman Chess) with the adults hanging around, before heading to the commemorative photo of his family's dog who had died one year ago, Vicchan. He clapped his hands together in front of the whiffs of incense floating around in front of the small portrait. His eyes softened and gazed softly upon the happy image of the poodle.

"Yuuri-!"

The bespectacled man jumped out of his praying position in surprise. It was a voice he hadn't heard for quite some time.

"Minako-sensei!" He shouted down the corridor half in happiness, half in fear at a dancing figure.

"Why didn't you tell me that you weren't practising now?!"

"Err..."

"Don't tell me that you still haven't gotten over that loss after a year?"

"...err..."

"I'm right, aren't I?! Come along with me right now, you hear?!"

"Y-yes!"

He had replied yes instinctively, but his eyes and body were focused among the hand drawn posters in his room. Of Viktor. Being a fan, he had collected so many of them, rare or not, and it filled up most of the walls in his room. When Minako-sensei had mentioned about his loss, it reminded him of the splendid win of his idol, his ecstatic smile raised towards the crowd, his beautiful figure... Yuuri couldn't help but forget about the lady's orders and gaze wholeheartedly at the papers put up all over his room.

"...Yuu-" his flushing red ear was grabbed- "ri...!"

Pull.

"I TOLD YOU TO COME WITH ME-!"

"AHHHH IT HURTS MINAKO-SENSEI! IT HURTSSSS!"

* * *

He was dragged on and on, his two heels literally digging a line on the ground through the path that Minako-sensei was dragging him along, smoke arising from their sides while curious onlookers leaning in trying to see what this fast pair was doing were only given a second or two to entertain their sights upon the two.

"MINAKO-SENSEIII WHERE ARE WE GOINGG?!" Yuuri was screaming at the top of his lungs by now, his words being dragged out by extreme speed (for a walking person) they were walking at.

"YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE ARRIVEEEE!" In comparison to Yuuri's I'm-sick-and-about-to-vomit face, Minako-sensei's face was slightly flushed with excitement and that tension was the one that had given her legs the energy needed to pull them at the insane pace.

And as they attracted attention from both the left and the right, the tall, grand bronze structure in the distance seemed to await them, standing out from the other residential areas in the shades of dull brown.

Yuuri had a feeling that they were really heading to the one place he had avoided for half a year.

His face turned even bluer.

"BLERRGHHH"

"HUH?! YUURI?! HUH? WERE- WERE WE SPEEDING TOO FAST?!"

"NO- I MEAN- BLEAARGHH- YES-~!"

* * *

(They still ended up at the colosseum anyway)

With Yuuri panting, half covered in perspiration, half covered in the smell of icky vomit, Minako-sensei continued pulling him to the stands in the main stadium.

The stadium they were in, which was supposed to be empty at this time of the day, was covered from head to toe with squealing and roaring spectators, whose eyes were all on one man in the middle.

Viktor Nikiforov.

Yuuri leaped back on impulse.

Minako-sensei giggled cheekily. "I figured that all you need to get out of your slump or whatever it is, is to watch the person you've been following for years on end, isn't it?" She sent her smiles towards Yuuri and upgraded it to fangirling shrieks to be sent to the man doing what seemed to be a one man show.

Yuuri could only laugh nervously. _Sure... but.. part of the reason I'm in this slump is, in a sense, because of him..._

But by the next bout of hysterical shouts, Yuuri had darted all the way to the front rows like the true blue fan he was, watching with those somewhat sparkling eyes, just as he had always done as he watched on.

At that point, Viktor had just begun to raise his sword. And in one sudden fell swoop, clasping the hilt of the sword with both hands, he had done a full slash, the silver of his sword displaying a delayed swish following the traces of the path he had cut through. Before the last traces of the argent disappeared, his eyes flickered with an icy glint, and he leaned to his left, at the same time releasing one palm, and had flicked it into the eye level. Without hesitation, as if someone had targeted his back, he grabbed his scabbard and rotated it just over his shoulders mere moments after the spine chilling stab.

He continued to use both his scabbard and his sword to fend off invisible enemies, sometimes using his sword as a pivot to do kicks midair, bashing his scabbard against the force of air as if it was a wooden pole, and at each slice of the blade, the audience had only gotten more hyped up. Yuuri, in particular, was mesmerised to the point of forgetting to use his voice, his mouth left hanging open.

And suddenly, Viktor beamed. He swung his arm which had gained control of his scabbard, and released it as if it was a boomerang; while most of the audience were still wowing in amazement at the splendid use of the sheath, he had shifted his weight onto one foot.

Yuuri noticed it in a flash.

"Mi-Minako-sensei!" A broad smile filled Yuuri's face and it flushed with pink, as he pointed with enthusiasm at the one man in the middle, his whole arm shaking with his increased heartbeat at the realisation.

With his grey, naturally highlighted hair floating down with the centre gravity of his body, Viktor twisted his hips, and bent his foot just ever so slightly.

"It's his special move!" Yuuri breathed with glowing cheeks, and with an equally bright smile.

As if he had heard Yuuri, Viktor's beam only got bigger.

The leg released it's gathered strength.

As if his sword were splinters in the whirlwind of the momentum of Viktor's body, it's white sparks shining off the main body scattered in every direction possible, the built physique swirling at a speed unstoppable by any ordinary gladiator.

It was a technique that could never be suppressed, a move that would never be attempted by anyone but him, a skill that left no one standing by the end, like an actual twister.

Although it only lasted for less than seconds, it would leave an impression that would last years on anyone that watched it.

"WOOWWWWWW!"

"DID YOU SEE THAT?!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME? OF COURSE I DID!"

Yuuri and Minako-sensei clasped their hands together in the excitement, jumping up and down with the rest of the audience.

"Viktor's original finishing move, the quadruple end! (self named)"

"You mean the quadruple cuts! (self named)"

"The quadruple end! (self named)"

"Quadruple slashes! (self named)"

"THE CONSISTENCY IS GONE, MINAKO-SENSEI!"

"Well, who cares?!"

It was true. The stunning move that had unraveled in front of them was too marvellous to be named properly in the form of words.

The two continued to exchange silent screams among the blaring cheers, as Viktor sheathed his sword back into the scabbard, lifting up with the two ends of his mouth outstretched at the crowd, exploding in frenzy.

* * *

"...thanks, Minako-sensei. You were right, it really helped."

"I'm always right, aren't I?"

"..."

The two were enjoying complementary water offered to the leaving crowd, since anyone leaving any of Viktor's performances would definitely need it.

"By the way, Minako-sensei, how did you know of this event?"

The self-satisfied lady grinned.

"Who else could it be?"

Yuuri blinked.

Minako-sensei's sight lifted from Yuuri's pondering gaze to somewhere behind his shoulders.

"Yuuko! Takeshi!" She waved enthusiastically at the two people walking behind the bespectacled gladiator.

Lenses shining in white, Yuuri turned behind to view the two aforementioned people.

A lady and a man in official attire for the colosseum's staff grinned back at them.

"Yuuri! Minako-sensei!" Yuuko exclaimed, her voice skipping with happiness. "It's been a long time, hasn't it!"

Yuuri nodded, a little overwhelmed from the energy Yuuko was flashing onto them. Nishigori Takeshi, and the now Nishigori Yuuko. The three of them had practised swordsmanship under the same teacher, all of them setting their sights towards Viktor. Since both Yuuko and Takeshi had joined before him, they were more experienced, and while Takeshi had teased Yuuri for his slightly plump size as a child, Yuuko had always shielded and comforted him, and in his eyes, Yuuko was like a second big sister to him. In the end, the two of them had went off the path of a gladiator to raise their triplets instead, and he was the only one who had continued on the treacherous path.

However, their love for gladiator battles did not die out, and instead they held a full time job as staff of the colosseum, and were even promoted high enough to handle one of the stadiums.

"Yuuri, I know that you're feeling pretty pent up after watching another performance of Viktor, aren't you?" Takeshi nudged Yuuri cheekily, throwing an arm over the shoulders of the slouching man, knowing the habits of the low confidence gladiator. Yuuko only looked knowingly in the direction of Yuuri, and that was enough to know that the things she wanted to say were the same

Yuuri chuckled timidly. When did they start to know his levels of tension?

"D... do you mind lending me your stadium for a while?" his voice vibrated anxiously, but a smile showed up shaking with delight on his face, his expression unknowingly showing his true emotions in contrast with his voice.

Yuuko smiled gently. "Of course. We'll open it up to you anytime, as long as it's free! You wouldn't even need to ask, we already-" she paused, poking at the puffed up cheeks of the bespectacled katsudon, "-know when you need it"

And as the couple dragged the secretly optimistic Yuuri into the direction of their coliseum, Minako-sensei could only nod her head with all the decisions. The situation was going where she thought it would head towards. Or, so she would think until 2 or so days later.

* * *

 **OMAKE**

"Yuuri, you stink. Go wash yourself before you accidentally go prancing around in your vomit."

"...I'm sorry for throwing up."

* * *

 **A/N: Me: HI YURIO SHORT STUFF AHAHAHAHA**

 **Whew, this is only the first part. I ACTUALLY CAN'T WAIT TO TALK ABOUT VIKTOR APPEARING IN FRONT OF YUURI HUEHUEHUE**

 **This AU is** **probably set in around 120 A.D., where women were still allowed into the games as gladiators! Also, around 80 A.D., gladiator games were not only about fight-to-the-death matches and blood, but there were different kinds based on skill level, record, experience, etc. So I guess the "no loss of life" thing would be best here. Additionally, they would have games based on different weaponry, so I'm just gonna continue with the swords for now ahaha~**

 **To be honest, I feel done after reading things about gladiators it is such a fitting role for Viktor.**

 **Sorry for long A/N XD Please do leave reviews or pm me about things you want to see happen, or anything that can help me improve the flow of the story! Thanks for reading guys! :D**

 **meteorr (01/05/2017)**


	3. Chapter 2

**Yuri on Arena (this title still makes me lol, lol) Chapter 2**

 **A/N: Yuri on a Myriad of Stupid Names AHAHAA I cracked up over this, thanks Guest! XD Also thanks** **midnightsky0612 :D Your stories are great too!**

 **I think I'm really going to make them more depressed than they actually are. :D**

 **Disclaimer: Only the story plot belongs to me. Anything else belongs to their respective owners.**

* * *

As Yuuri warmed up, his smile still lingering on his face, he stretched while thinking of Viktor's moves. From the excitement of seeing Viktor once again after avoiding his idol for so long, he had completely forgotten about his thoughts of being "not good enough to stand beside him", "humiliating", "an idiot for thinking I could finally meet my idol on the same battleground", etc, etc.

It all disappeared in one fell swoop after the display he had barred himself from watching for over half a year.

He pulled out his sword, and just looked at it for a while, his eyes sparkling a little while staring at the weapon he had not held for so long.

Clicking the heels of his shoes against the floor, he strut out with his form of gusto.

The air was sandy, yet misty, with the partially blocked sun rays gleaming down onto the slightly rocky floor. Yuuri, who had his head down while walking out, peered up, only to see some of the townsfolk who had just come over from Viktor's performance, hoping to see more.

Though he had taken out his spectacles, he could still see Yuuko and he stared at her in a bit of annoyance at the publicity directly opposite the stadium; a huge piece of paper with the handwritten words of "The Return of Katsuki Yuuri!", with an arrow pointing towards the big entrance.

Yuuko grinned. She wanted her childhood friend to go back into the gladiator's world so he could earn back his supposed popularity.

The katsudon knew he couldn't mind the people now. His hidden feelings were palpitating, bursting in a need to be released.

He breathed in, remembering the steps Viktor took; the steps, the slashes, the footsteps.

He breathed out, rendering his own personality into the moves; his style, his feelings, his form.

He reached for the hilt.

In one swoop, he slapped it out, the blunt side of his sword bashing itself against an invisible body. In the next moment, he had turned it to the sharp side, slashing it out while jumping back, as if his sword had caught the other's and the leap was in defense. He readied himself in another position with his sword held vertically up at his right shoulder, and just charged out again, his footsteps a flurry. His eyes followed the trail of his "enemy", and grinding his left foot into the ground at a halt, his right pressed forward and he pushed his arms forward in a wide swing.

While he seemed to lose his balance over the amount of force, seemingly tripping over in a turn, the fist that was holding the sword placed itself on the ground, while Yuuri rolled over it seamlessly without his head touching the ground.

Takeshi grinned. "It's been a long time since he was that motivated, isn't it?"

Yuuko's eyes seemingly went misty, her two hands clapped together in front of her lips. "Indeed. It... really suits him."

"Suits him?"

"Ahh, I mean-" She paused, wiping her eyes for a bit. "-the style that suits Viktor would be slightly flamboyant and classy, but the earlier display he showed was more unpredictable and a bit clumsy, which in a way confuses the opponent."

The husband frowned in contemplation. "Yeah, I'll have to agree. Although flawless as usual, it would be better for someone that is more awkwardly straightforward... oh,"

The wife nodded, gazing upon the honest open figure of the gladiator who was currently in the midst of a mix of offensive thrusts.

"It does suit Yuuri more, don't you think?"

"Well..." he observed the figure who was now using smiles and engaging the round of audiences, turning his hilt round the back his hand for his blade to point behind.

Minako-sensei was probably the only one cheering Yuuri on in the audience as the others just watched on silently.

 _They aren't saying anything..._ Yuuri thought on, his poker face of a smile still retained. Minako-sensei, who did feel this for just a little, cheered on harder and tried to improve her student's spirit.

But one thing she didn't catch were his next inner thoughts.

 _But who cares?_

His smile only went larger as it transformed into a slight smirk. Now, he was entrapped in the feelings which had overwhelmed him, and his diminished self-confidence has just built itself up.

 _If Viktor was the one who did it, he would surely-_

He took out his scabbard.

 _-just entertain the world,_

The scabbard went above his head, his sword fending off at an incredible pace.

 _Without a care...!_

His eyes narrowed, and his smile became a grin.

Yuuko perked up. "Yuuri is...!"

He caught and claimed control of his scabbard, swinging it to the side hidden from his enemy's view. In one movement he released it as a rapidly spinning boomerang, while sending a knowing glance at Minako-sensei, Yuuko and Takeshi all at once, gathering his strength at one heel.

Lowering the centre gravity of his body, twisting his hips, bending his foot just ever so slightly.

"He's really trying it...!"

Yuuri released the pressure on his foot.

The blue-silver glint riding on the sword speared out as if it were a blade on a whip; unpredictable and unstoppable. It was as if the enemy could actually see it, but wasn't fast enough to prepare for it. Although it was copied from Viktor, and while it wasn't as fast, and maybe not as flashy, Yuuri's slightly clumsy and straightforward style shone through.

As if he had reformed it into his own special move.

Minako-sensei just stared in disbelief. "He... did he really... not practice for half a year?"

The scattered crowd was stunned into silence.

And at an unseen corner, with his hand combing through his falling bulk of hair over his left eye, Viktor Nikiforov sat silently, his poodle Makkachin sleeping in between his legs. And as if he had decided on something, his silver eyelashes fluttered once, his sea-colored eyes narrowing under them with gaze focused on nothing but the man in the middle of the stadium.

* * *

As much as the crowd was stunned into silence, Yuuri could sense it; the fact that it was different from when Viktor had put them all into a state of stun. While Viktor had all of them cheering in a frenzy after the amazing move had finally hit their sense of realization, the audience in Yuuri's stadium were all murmuring among themselves.

Yuuri could only stay still with a two handed grip on his sword, or rather his final stance. His breath was now erratic with the sudden large amount of energy output, but his brain only felt frozen in contrast to the heat in his blood coursing back and forth his veins. He didn't know how to react, neither did he know what to do after he stepped out of the stadium.

Suddenly a wave of regret crashed onto him.

 _Ah, I knew it. I shouldn't have displayed anything, let alone Viktor's performance. I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot, I'm an idiot._

He took a step back, silently gliding his sword back into it's sheath. His foot spun around, trying to turn back to the exit-

A glint of silver.

"Eh?" Yuuri's eyes flashed back quickly in a spark, his fanboy hopes rising on instinct.

 _Was that..._ the blood seemed to rush to his brain, his inner being feeling like it was revived by just that instant thought. It broke through anything that was consciously pulling him down of one unworthy, and the hope that seemed to be non-existent within him brightened up. He wanted, he wished, he thought-

Then his senses came crashing down onto him, as he could only see nothing but a crowd slowly forming around the narrow exit.

He continued staring at where he thought he had seen that fluttering hair, his breath that had caught itself at the sight slowly pacing back to it's normal range. The smile that had formed on his face without his knowledge stuttered back to it's normal shape.

He breathed in deep, and then blew it out. Without another sound, he simply bit on his lower lip while trudging out of the huge area.

"Yuuri!" Yuuko and Takeshi (and Minako-sensei who rushed down from the spectator's seat at the end) had waved supportively at the obviously moody swordsman, but he could only give them a tired, weak and a low-spirited smile as he continued shuffling back to his holding area.

The couple, knowing that they couldn't do anything in that moment for the disheartened bespectacled man, could only stand still and watch his silhouette fade into the darkness of the stone-paved corridors.

On the other hand, the impulsive dance instructor knew that, as always, she had to be the anchor for Yuuri, the one student she had that always ended up being swept into the seas of gloom.

Clicking the uneven soles of her hand-filed shoes, she immediately stomped down the path, following the draggy footsteps echoing a short distance away.

The two that were left behind in the now almost silent arena could only hear their breaths resounding a little at that point, and stayed at that spot for a full minute, quietly hoping for everything to turn out alright. They hoped.

Then Yuuko's work senses came back. Now that the performance was done, and that there was no one left, there was more work to do. Yuuko inhaled.

"Axel!"

"Lutz!"

"Loop!"

 **"Yes Mama!"**

Their triplets popped out of random seats in the arena, all separated by a far distance from each other. Their naturally inquisitive faces lightened up as they quickly flashed whatever they had found during their job of cleaning the seats after a crowd clears.

"Mama, I found an apple core!"

"Mama, I found raw snail shells!"*

"Mama, I found the leg of a chicken!"

Yuuko brought up a thumbs up. "Good job! How many more seats to clear?"

"Just the back few on the left, Mama!"

"Lutz, go get them! It's at your side!"

"Go~t it."

Yuuko nodded, signalling Takeshi to start wiping the seats that had been cleared by the hardworking trio. She herself was about to start cleaning up the stadium when-

"Mama, I- I FOUND A SIGNATURE FROM VIKTOR NIKIFOROV!"

The heads of the couple as well as the other two kids snapped into Lutz's direction. Their feet wasted no time in teleporting to the location where Lutz was practically drooling over the newfound prized possession.

The family of 5 simply gazed at it with star struck eyes for minutes before they could actually drag themselves out of the holy thing.

"B-but how would the owner even forget something- something as precious as this?" Yuuko's eyes were still twinkling at the sight of it, but nevertheless she knew that the owner might be heartbroken if he or she realized that it was lost.

Axel raised her hand. "Oh yeah! I thought I saw a big brown dog over here just now!"

Loop gasped with excitement. "What if it was...?"

Lutz followed square in her realization. "What if it was...?!"

"Viktor Nikiforov...?!" The three breathed in unison, saying the legendary name.

The couple looked at each other, then looked back at their children laughing. "There's no way that he could be here, right?! I mean, he finished his stunt around 15 minutes before this one started!" Yuuko's normal and rational sense explained this, but her fangirl side was really edging itself in the opposite direction.

Takeshi nodded once with gusto, even though his hopes were splashing out at the hope the legend was actually there, in their stadium.

The family all laughed together in sarcasm, but honestly the trembling in their voices really did tell what they actually wanted.

They still hoped for something that had come to pass.

* * *

"Yuuri. YUURI."

As their flurry of steps in their stampede continued, she puffed out like an angry bull while she paced in big strides, while Yuuri who sensed the malice behind him just started perspiring in floods as his footsteps went staccato and seemed to sweep the floor with the amount of dust he kicked up.

Finally, the fiery dance instructor caught the gladiator's hand, just as he was about to slam the door in front of her while trying to head inside a cubicle in an attempt to escape.

"-...Minako-sensei, you're in the male toilet."

"WHO CARES?!"

"I DO, YOU AREN'T GOING TO SEE MY BOTTOM HALF NAKED."

A random passerby shoutout. "Me too, please do go out..."

Minako-sensei clicked her tongue looking at the passerby, and spun her finger towards Yuuri with her brown hair following suit.

"Fine. But let me just say this." She stared dead into the hazel brown eyes of the now slightly panicky man. She breathed in deep, and pursed her slightly moist lips.

"Don't look down on yourself, no matter what is screaming inside you right now. You're worth more than that, okay?"

With her voice lowered and the piercing pitch of her tone, Yuuri had been stunned into place for moments. She continued looking hard into his soul, and the swordsman flinched, as he stumbled half a step back.

A small laugh pushed itself out of his lips.

"Wow, Minako-sensei..." he tried regaining his composure, pushing a bony hand through the flat black bangs that slapped against his forehead, fingers running through them, a few wild strands falling over his knuckles. "...you,"

"...You say some really weird things sometimes."

"HUH?! It isn't weird, you know?! I wouldn't say these things EVERY time, so you'd BETTER know what that means."

In sarcastic discontent, she slapped her palm against the loose cloth that hid the toughened skin of his chest. "Take it or leave it." She deadpanned cooly, twirling around again to stride out of the male restroom.

Yuuri stared at the after shadow of the rare words of encouragement she had given him. It wasn't significant to tide over his internal discomfort, but it did help him calm some part of himself.

His glasses flashed, and he closed the wooden door to face inside, going ahead to continue with his unfinished business.

* * *

"Ah! Yuuri, welcome back!" Hiroko's chubby cheeks shone as her smile brightened the atmosphere, spinning around with a wooden plate of piping hot buns on them. "Want some buns?"

"Mmn. Thanks, Mum." Yuuri took one, and while almost dropping them at the heat, he quickly kicked off his shoes and glided lazily into the wide area of relaxation.

He had no more energy- both physically and mentally- to continue doing his daily workout. He mumbled incorrigible words, and flipped over to lay down like a sloth on his side. Just for today, he didn't want to think so much anymore. He's been thrown around by his insecurities, by Minako-sensei, by his own whims, and especially by...

 _By Viktor's performance._

He wheezed a stifled sigh out, deflating into a pile on the rock ground. Trying to snooze from the mumbled talk from the customers slacking around him, he continued rolling to the side, trying to find a comfortable, cool spot on the ground for him to sleep.

But just then, he was interrupted by Toshio, smiling at him while holding a couple of neatly stacked cloths.

"Yuuri, shouldn't you go back to your room if you want to sleep?"

"I'm feeling lazy to go back up today..."

The comforting and soothing father smiled gently.

"It's okay if you want to rest here, but can you help your father run an errand first?"

Yuuri blinked in slight confusion, half awake.

"A male customer forgot to bring in cloths just now, so can you help me bring some to him?"

The swordsman fixed his glasses, still slightly dazed as he wobbled up to his two feet. "Sure... and after that I'll rest till dinner."

Toshio gave a thumbs up towards his son, and watched as Yuuri staggered down the large room and disappeared behind a hallway.

Before he turned back to his work, a bark resounded behind his back. Turning around, a fluffy pile of brown fur panted in front of him, as if waiting for instructions from the man.

"Oh, are you looking for your master?"

"Woof!"

"Down there," the still smiling father pointed into the direction Yuuri went to.

As if the big poodle had understood his words, it's head bobbed a bit as if in a nod as it stood up to scoot off in search of his master.

Toshio, staring at the flurry of the dog, continued looking on with white gleaming on the surface of his glasses.

And then a ponder.

"...he looks just like Vicchan, doesn't he?"

* * *

The small exercise of walking still hadn't woken Yuuri up enough, and he was still nodding off as he dragged his feet on the stone floor.

"Woof!"

And suddenly he was on the floor, the cloths he were holding scattered all over the floor. He squinted once, twice, and then adjusted his glasses again.

A... a _dog_? Had just seemed to whizz past him.

A brown clump of fur was now in the far distance, and more barking followed and echoed down into Yuuri's ears.

He stared at the remains of the huge poodle in confusion. Then in wonder. Then in disbelief. And the last emotion, shock.

"Huh...?!"

Hurriedly picking up the towels, his glasses flashed white as his hands circled the floor and his fingers brushed the cloths into the arm of his hand. Rushing to stand up while tripping over his own feet in the process, he sprinted after the tumbling bundle of fur.

And then he saw the door to the baths, and the dog which had just sprinted was now panting and sitting in front of the door with a rapidly wagging tail, as if the person he awaited was inside.

Yuuri pressed his hand on the edges and with a huge amount of unneeded strength, slammed the door open.

And in the warm pool of water, lay one man, relaxing with his head tilted back onto the tiles making the floor surrounding the bath. As if he had just noticed the presence of the heaving man, he drove one of his hands through the silky accumulation of hair covering the silver eyelashes of his left eye.

Putting his hands down on the rocky, dryer surface, he gave himself a soft push and propped his toned and muscular body up.

Yuuri could only stare at the man with his eyes spread open in disbelief, his mouth only barely stuttering out the most pressing question on his mind.

"You... what are you doing here..?"

The poodle, not knowing anything, just continued bobbing up and down, seated, it's head slightly tilted to the side, confused.

And it's owner, a stunningly beautiful man who's emerald eyes sprinkled in the rays of the sunset which spread itself in rays over the slow stream of the ripples flowing in the water, creating a scene just...

...just unbelievable for Yuuri...

...threw his hand into an outstretched position, the tips his fingernails pointing themselves towards the still stunned swordsman.

"Yuuri! Starting today, I'll be your coach!"

Viktor, Viktor Nikiforov, 5 time champion of the Gladiator Showdown, and also probably the most stunning man of all gladiators, stood there, his naked body shining in glory against the pastel oranges and yellows that splashed all across the sky, saying, saying some foreign sounding phrase, but the catch of it was that Yuuri understood every single damn word he said.

Yuuri just stood facing the shining figure, his eyes still unable to believe exactly who he was seeing and his ears still unable to believe whatever had just travelled through his eardrums and his brain still unable to process _what exactly was this miracle_.

His mouth, still wide open, could only say one word.

"Hu...HUUHHHH?!"

And from that day on, Yuuri's life as a gladiator and as a person was surely about to change.

* * *

 **OMAKE (Because shachihoko was awesome)**

Viktor (drunk): Yuu~ri~ you're so soft now but you're still so stiff~...

Yuuri (drunk and is now slurring): Viktor... I'm only stiff compared to you, but _they're_ way more... flexible than you...

Viktor: Who's more flexible than me...?

Yuuri (unaware and is now slurring): sha...chi...hoko...

Viktor:

Viktor: Who is that

Viktor: that

Viktor: that chiromo

Viktor: who is more flexible than me

Viktor: that, that,

Viktor: WHO IS THAT CHILOMA

Yuuri: huh... isn't chiloma... square... and brown... and tough...

Viktor: CHILOMA

Viktor (now panicking): she is moRE FLEXIBLE THAN ME

Viktor (super panicked and angry): AND TOUGHER

Viktor (hysterical):

(monologuing Viktor: Oh... I was so mad...)

Yuuri: (is now passed out on the floor with a stupid drunk face)

Viktor: *scribbles "Overcome Chiloma" on Yuuri's back*

Viktor: *disappears for the rest of the night*

(next day)

Practically everyone: WHERE'S VIKTOR GUYS

Yuuri (wakes up): ...huh?

Practically everyone:

Practically everyone: Yuuri, did you HIDE HIM BECAUSE YOU'RE JEALOUS

Yuuri: *chokes on water* What the heck, why would I-

Practically everyone: THEN DID YURIO KILL HIM OR SOMETHING

Yurio: WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK

Practically everyone: WHERE IS HE NOW SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING

Someone: I SAW HIM ON TOP OF A SHOP SELLING BOX-LIKE SHIT

Everyone: OKAY LET'S GO THERE

Yurio: BOX-LIKE SHIT?! HUH?!

(everyone runs out of the inn while Yuuri is still trying to put on proper clothes.)

* * *

Viktor paraded naked on top of the box shop, thinking about Yuuri's words. He was mad. He was fuming mad with himself. He couldn't be beside Yuuri unless he could overcome Chiloma. And with what he's doing now, he surely would have overcome Chiloma, right?

His fingers stretched out until it could hold his toes in place. And he was so proud of himself for overcoming Chiloma.

"THIS PERSON MAY BE YUURI'S PAST, BUT I AM HIS NOW"

The rest arrives huffing at the glorious scene, his private part being too bright to be seen due to the flare of the sunlight, and also for the safety of people's eyes.

The 5-time champion of the Gladiator Showdown, the hottest gladiator coach, with his golden ring shining ever so brightly, was bending his neck, thighs, knees and toes appropriately to form a square shape, and his feet were pinned to his head effortlessly with the help of his hands.

"Viktor what are you doing?!"

"IS THIS BETTER THAN CHILOMA?!"

"WHO THE HELL IS CHILOMA?!"

"YUURI, STRIP AND JOIN ME HERE!"

* * *

Yuuri stripped the clothes he had tried to put on properly and continued looking into the blinding sunrise.

It was so blinding that no one could see anything hanging between their legs, so it should still be fine.

The two of them continued looking past the horizon, Viktor staring confidently into the light (and still probably miraculously having 2.0 eyesight), while Yuuri couldn't help but squint through this slightly think frames. With two hands pasted onto his waste, Viktor smiled happily with an equally naked Yuuri standing beside him.

"But why Chiloma, Viktor? Isn't Chiloma a..."

"Am I better than Chiloma now?"

"Huh?"

"Am I better than Chiloma now?!"

"Seriously, of course you are better than a box!"

"Who is Chiloma?!"

"Huh?!"

"Chiloma! Who is she?!"

Yuuri faintly felt something he had just blatantly blabbered out yesterday by accident. "Shachihoko?"

Viktor blinked. "Sha...chihoko?"

Yuuri sighed and ruffled his hair, half due to his seriously annoying hangover and another half because he accidentally said things in his original language.

"In Japanese, the language of the country I came from, shachihoko is to tense or stiffen up..."

Viktor's mind of doubt, self hate and lack of confidence (sounds like a certain someone we know) immediately cleared up to become a land of rainbows and sunshine.

"Yuur~~iii!"

"Huh, woah- Viktor-!"

The silver haired man pulled Yuuri in for a heart-to-heart hug, in the middle of the steadily rising sun, wow practically everyone just looked at the pretty abstract scene unfolding before them.

"Viktor, this is embarassing-"

"Who cares, Yuuri. I'm your now and your future, so I want to show it."

The two men continued their naked embrace, as even the policemen who were called in to bring the two men down were shedding tears at the scene and had to take off their hats to rub their tears off at the beautiful sight.

Although the bespectacled man was embarrassed, he shakily put up his hands to share the hug.

Viktor's smile only got more blissful.

And as the literally married two continued being in their own world of emotions, Yuuri decided to ask about something from the previous question.

"Um, Viktor..."

"Hm?"

"You wanted to... show my now and future to who?"

"Chiloma"

Yuuri:

Yuuri: VIKTOR WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK-

* * *

 **Omake #2**

Edgy Yurio: Light between their legs are shining brighter than my life.

Edgy Yurio:

Otabek: STOP

* * *

 **A/N:** **'Box' in Latin, the language Romans used, is chiloma XD**

 **I probably spent more time thinking about the omake than the actual story.**

 *** = Romans ate raw snails as snacks, or at least the site I went to stated that. :/ exquisite taste much?**

 **I hope I didn't take too long, and hope you guys enjoyed it :D (especially the omake it is hell finding a latin word similar to chihoko ;w;) Leave a review if there's anything you really like or don't like e.g. Edgy Yurio should appear more often }:D**

 **Have a good day/afternoon/night! :)**

 **meteorr (18/05/2017)**


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